Pork Butchering
Pork Butchering
Pork Butchering
com
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© 2016 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.
Text © 2016 Philip Hasheider
First published in 2016 by Voyageur Press, an imprint of Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc., 400 First Avenue
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ISBN: 978-0-7603-4996-0
Digital edition: 978-0-76035-125-3
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Acquiring Editor: Todd R. Berger
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Printed in China
Dedication
T
his book is dedicated to my brother, Bruce Hasheider, whose lifelong interest in pork
production has served as an encouragement and inspiration for hundreds of 4-H and
FFA members across Wisconsin, and programs that he has supported for many years.
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Making SauSage and BaCon 101
Nonmeat ingredients are used to provide meat because of the fermentation of the
flavor, inhibit bacterial growth, and increase the lactic acid.
amount of sausage produced. These may include
water, salt, sugar, nonfat dry milk, soy products, • Ascorbates and erythorbates are Vitamin C
extenders and binders, spices, and cures. derivatives that speed the curing reaction.
They can be used interchangeably in
Binders and Extenders cured sausages to which nitrite has
Binders refer to the ability of the meat ingredients been added.
to hold and entrap fat and water, and for the lean
meat particles to be held or bound together. • Milk protein–derived extenders,
Extenders are used in some products to increase including nonfat dry milk, dried whey,
the moisture content and texture rather than to and buttermilk solids, are used widely in
stretch the amount of product derived from a processed meat products. They are added
certain volume of meat available. to improve binding qualities, flavor, and
slicing characteristics. They are used in
• Water and ice are added sometimes to such products as bologna and frankfurters
add moisture and keep the sausage cold (hot dogs) to stabilize the emulsion.
during processing. Cold temperatures
delay bacteria growth and add to the Spices, Seasonings,
final product quality. Water also helps and Flavorings
dissolve salts for better distribution within Many different spices, seasonings, and
the meat. flavorings are used in sausage production to
increase taste. For home sausage making, they
• Salt serves three functions in the meat: are generally added by personal preference
preservation, flavor enhancement, and taste or to follow general guidelines for a
and it draws out protein to help bind particular recipe. By combining different levels
the mixture. of various spices, you can create unique and
distinctive sausages.
• Sodium nitrate and nitrite are used for Spices, seasonings, and flavorings typically
curing meat as they inhibit growth of a are not included to add to the nutritional value
number of pathogens and bacteria that of the sausage, although they provide some
cause spoilage, including those that minute traces of nutrition. Spices vary greatly in
cause botulism, the lethal food poisoning. composition and may be added as whole seeds,
Nitrate and nitrite are the most regulated coarsely ground, or in powdered form. Some of
and controversial of all the sausage the major spices used include the following:
ingredients. It is strongly recommended
that a commercial premixed cure be used • Allspice: A reddish-brown pimento berry
when nitrate and/or nitrite is called for in available whole or ground. Pungent,
the mixture. clovelike odor and taste. Used in bologna,
pork sausage, frankfurters, hamburgers,
• Sugar is used for flavor and to counter potato sausage, headcheese, and other
the taste of salt. It helps reduce the pH in meat products.
102 Chapter 7
• Basil: Marketed as small bits of green • Garlic, dried: White color ranging in forms
leaves, whole or ground. Aromatic, mildly of powdered, granulated, ground, minced,
pungent odor and used in dry sausage chopped, and sliced. Strong odor with
such as pepperoni. pungent taste.
• Cumin seed: Yellowish-brown oval seeds • Nutmeg: Large, brown, ovular seeds
sold whole or ground. Strong, somewhat sold whole or ground. Sweet taste and
bitter taste used in chorizo and other odor; used in frankfurters, knackwurst,
Mexican and Italian sausages, and used in minced ham sausages, liver sausage,
making curry powder. and headcheese.
• Dill seed: Light-brown oval seeds sold • Onion, dried: Similar to garlic in
whole or ground. Warm, clean, aromatic forms available. Used in luncheon
odor used in headcheese, souse, jellied loaves, Braunschweiger, liver sausage,
tongue loaf, and similar products. and headcheese.
Making SauSage and BaCon 103
Two types of casings are used in sausage the organs attached within the viscera, you will
making: natural, and manufactured or synthetic. need to cut them away from the mass of intestines
Although their purposes are the same, their and stomach prior to placing them into the cold
origin is very different. water to reduce the chances of contamination.
Natural sausage casings are made from parts Cut the heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, or any other
of the alimentary canal of various animals that organs away from the intestines and stomach,
can include the intestinal tracts from pigs, and place them aside in a clean, cool container.
cows, or sheep. One advantage for using them Making a cut at the point where the stomach and
is that they are made up largely of collagen, a large intestines meet should then separate the
fibrous protein, whose unique characteristic is stomach and intestines.
variable permeability. This allows smoke and If you have used a cord or string to tie off the
heat to penetrate during the curing process but end of the intestine at the anus when you made
without contributing undesirable flavors to the your cuts to remove it, then one end should still
meat. Natural casings can be purchased from be tied. After making your cut at the stomach
companies that offer sausage-making products and intestine junction, place that end in an
or they can come from the pig you are butchering. empty pail or other container and allow the
Packing houses that save casings will flush them intestinal materials to drop into it. Depending
with water and pack them in salt before selling on the size of the animal you butchered, there
them to casing processors. The casing processor may be much intestine to work with or relatively
does the final cleaning, scraping, sorting, grading, little. You may have to use your hand to strip
and salting before you purchase them. If using as much of the excreta out of the intestine as
your own animal casings, it is important they are possible. When finished, you can place the
thoroughly flushed and cleaned, and placed in a intestines in a cold-water bath that has been
salt brine prior to use. primed with salt and work with them later, after
finishing working with the more valuable meat
Cleaning Casings cuts of the carcass.
for Home Use Intestines make very good natural casings
You can clean your own pig casings for sausage for your sausages because they are largely
production after they are removed from the body collagen and will easily break down during the
cavity. Because they are unlikely to be the first curing process, yet still are strong enough to
parts you work with from the carcass, they need to hold the meat during the stuffing process. Their
be set in cold water to reduce their temperature to flexibility makes them an attractive alternative to
prevent spoilage. If working alone, the cold-water synthetic casings. But good casings are also clean
tub should be set up prior to beginning. If working casings and you will need to prep them for use
with others, you can designate another to handle by removing all of the excrement and intestinal
this part. Several things need to be considered if linings before using them.
using the intestines for meat casings. The first is To begin properly cleaning your casings, you
sanitation. The intestines will likely be filled with will need to invert the intestine by turning it
excrement, which contains the E. coli bacteria and inside out. After removing any cord or string
needs to be kept away from any organs that you that has closed one end, start by turning one
plan to use later. If you plan to use several or all of end of the intestine inside out to create a lip,
Making SauSage and BaCon 105
Natural sausage casings can be made from the pig’s intestines. Remove them from the stomach before cleaning them.
much as you would roll down your socks, except membrane that can rupture and break during
that you are not making a rolled-up mass. You the stuffing process.
want to pass the rest of the intestine through After thoroughly cleaning the intestines, rinse
this roll as if you were peeling a banana without it with clean, cold water and invert it back to its
breaking it. When the inside of the intestine has original form. Use a salt solution (1 teaspoon of
completely become the outside, you should salt per gallon of water) for storage overnight.
thoroughly wash it in a cold 0.5 percent chlorine If you are not using the casings for several
solution. Use a soft-bristle brush to very gently days, they can be kept in this solution with cold
scrub the excess fat, connective tissue, and temperatures. If not using them for 2 weeks or
any residual foreign or fecal materials off it. longer, you can put them in a freezer suspended
Although the intestine can withstand some in this salt-saturated solution. This solution will
good scrubbing, you need to be careful not also inhibit the growth of bacteria that thrive
to overdo it or you may leave little tears in the on salt as well as other bacteria that may have
106 Chapter 7
Manufactured
and Artificial Casings
The alternative to natural casings is a group of
manufactured or artificial casings that are made
from edible or inedible materials. Fibrous casings
are popular because they are uniform in size and
easy to use. They are made from a special paper
pulp mixed with cellulose and are inedible and
must be peeled away before eating. However,
they provide the most strength of any casing
available. Three of the most common types of
synthetic casings include collagen, cellulose,
and artificial.
Some natural casings are called collagen
casings and were developed to be an edible
casing replacement for natural casings, and to
have the uniformity of a manufactured product. can be operated by hand or electricity. Some
They are made from the gelatinous substances food processors can do a good job of chopping
found in animal connective tissue, bones, meat, and some heavy-duty mixers may have a
and cartilage, and are mechanically formed grinding attachment that will work.
into casings. Because of their lower structural Hand grinders have been used for generations
strength, these casings generally are made and usually have several different size grinding
into small-diameter products and are ideal plates or chopping disks ranging from fine, with
for breakfast links, or fresh, smoked, and dried holes 1⁄8 inch in diameter, to coarse, with holes 3⁄8
sausages. Unlike large cellulose and fibrous inch in diameter. All hand grinders will have a screw
casings, collagen casings should not be soaked augur that is attached to the outside handle. A
in water before use. They are easier to work with disc cap screws over the top of the grinding plate,
when dry. holding it in place while the meat is forced through
Cellulose casings are made from cotton linters, the holes by the augur. It is a simple process once
the fuzz from cottonseeds, which are dissolved you have it set up. Hand grinders typically have a
and re-formed into casings. Cellulose casings are tightening screw at their base so that they can be
crimped into short strands and an 8-inch length mounted to a table or sturdy support frame.
may stuff as much as 100 feet of sausage. Small If you are doing small amounts of sausage, a
cellulose casings work well for skinless wieners hand grinder should be sufficient. Some large
and other small-diameter skinless products. grinders make use of a small motor with belt
Artificial casings are frequently made from attached. This is a fast, efficient way to grind a
plastic and are inedible. They can be used for very large amount of meat in a very short time.
sausages cooked in water or steam, such as Food processors can be useful in producing
bologna and Braunschweiger. finely ground or emulsified sausages, such as
If you are not using your own casings, you can frankfurters, bologna, and some loaf products.
purchase any of the manufactured or artificial Remember that regardless of the type of
casings from meatpacking companies, sausage grinder you use, it must be thoroughly cleaned
supply businesses, local butcher shops, or, with hot, soapy water before each use and
perhaps, through ethnic markets. between different batches.
Sausage Funnels
or Horns
The sausage funnel or horn constricts the
movement of the sausage from the meat tub into
the casing. As the casing fills, it pushes itself away
from the funnel as it elongates. The size of the
funnel is directly related to the size of the casing.
Funnels are straight tubes, not tapered, and may
range from 4 to 6 inches in length. To decrease
the possibility of tearing the casing, first coat
the funnel with water or grease to help slip the
casing over it.
Other Equipment
You should keep other items on hand during
your sausage processing. Three important and
useful pieces include measuring instruments—a
scale, measuring cups, and thermometer(s).
Scales
For weighing meats and other ingredients, a
reliable scale is essential. A scale that measures
both in pounds and ounces should be sufficient
for most of your needs. For recipes or curing
chemicals where weights are measured in grams or
ounces, a smaller scale may be necessary. If curing
ingredients are being used, particularly sodium
Depending on the amount of sausage you plan to make, you may need
a large stuffing unit with different funnels for different casings. You can nitrite, it is very important to use a scale that can
use a jerky extruding gun if you only want to make small sausage links. measure to the nearest one-tenth of a gram.
110 Chapter 7
• Fill a 1-quart measure with crushed ice The boiling point of water is about 1ºF lower
and water and stir well. for every 550 feet above sea level. If you are in
Making SauSage and BaCon 111
high-altitude areas, adjust the temperature by than other breeds. Even if fed the same ration,
calibration. One example is if you were at 550 feet two pigs from different breeds can yield different
above sea level, the boiling point of water would flavors, and this is largely influenced by genetics.
be 211ºF. While these different flavor-influencing
Any food thermometer that cannot be molecules are separate from each other, they
calibrated still can be used by checking it exude a unique sensory of taste when adding
for accuracy using either method. You can smoke and the sodium nitrite found in the cure,
take into consideration any inaccuracies and and adding heat by frying it. You then create
make adjustments by adding or subtracting the mouth-watering tastes and aroma that is
the differences, although this is not a commonly associated with bacon.
recommendation of this book. The thermometer Besides all of this, you will be creating bacon
that is inaccurate should be replaced to from an animal you have raised and not one from
provide greater assurance of accurate a large commercial pig farm. Because your pig has
cooking temperatures. received a varied diet of pasture, grains, and an
outdoor atmosphere rather than confinement,
Homemade Bacon you will quickly notice the flavor difference when
Bacon is not only great tasting as a stand-alone compared to bacon purchased in a supermarket.
pork product, but it also can be a versatile But then, that’s one of the reasons you raised
ingredient in many dishes. Most bacon is your pig in the first place.
purchased in markets as strips. You can make Salt pork is another product cut from the belly
these too, but because you have the belly section or side. However, it is not bacon. It is salted and
from your pig’s carcass, you now have more much fatter than bacon, but it is not smoked.
options for it.
Certainly you can cut the belly slabs into strips, Making Bacon
but you can also cut it into bigger pieces or chunks You need two things to make good bacon: a pork
for stews, soups, and vegetable dishes. You can belly, and a cure or pink salt. There are two kinds
roast belly sections whole or grill them. Making of bacon: fresh, and cured and smoked. Fresh
bacon at home is not a complicated process. You bacon has a mild flavor and is the simplest to
can do it with a smoker, oven, or grill. make by following these steps:
The belly is composed of fat and thin layers of
muscle. The fat, by itself, has no real taste until it • Coat the slab of belly with the basic dry
starts to break down during the heating process. cure previously mentioned.
The muscle tissue has cell membranes that contain
fatty acids that disintegrate during cooking. These • Cover and refrigerate for 7 days
yield flavorful compounds, including aldehydes, depending on thickness. Less if thinner,
furans, and ketones that contain molecules having more if thicker.
distinct tastes or smells. Furans yield a sweet, nutty,
caramel-like flavor. Aldehydes are identified with a • Remove from refrigerator at end of time
green, grassy tone, and ketones tend to be buttery. and rinse with nonchlorinated water.
Also, the breed of the pig will have an effect on this
composition as well. The genetic characteristics • Pat dry.
inherent with a particular breed, such as Berkshire,
produce exquisite flavors from their meat and fat • Slice to preference, and then fry or cook.
112 Chapter 7
• Cool at room temperature and or smoked but used right away. Fresh sausages,
then refrigerate. whether links or patties, should be eaten within
3 days of making them or buying them in a
• Slice and fry or cook. market. They can be frozen for later use but need
to be cooked after thawing and not refrozen
Fresh Sausage once thawed. They should be thoroughly cooked
Uncooked and uncured pork is considered fresh before being served. Although some of the
and is typically used in sausage making. Fresh following fresh sausages may take a little more
sausages include those seasoned and stuffed time to make than others, they are within your
into casings, or those in bulk form that will be reach of creating for your family. One sample
pressed into patties. They are not typically cured recipe is included for each kind of sausage.
Fresh Pork
Sausage Patties
1 pound boneless pork shoulder butt 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ tablespoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon ground dried thyme 1 cup nonchlorinated water
½ teaspoon dried sage
Cut the pork into 1-inch cubes and grind it through the medium plate of a meat
grinder. Place in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the salt, pepper,
thyme, sage, sugar, allspice, and garlic, and then mix with water. Pour the
mixture into the ground pork and mix thoroughly. Shape into 2-ounce patties.
Pan fry, turning to brown both sides, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the internal
temperature is at least 160ºF. Fresh sausage can be frozen for later use.
Making SauSage and BaCon 115
Homemade
Bockwurst
1½ pounds boneless pork shoulder ½ cup minced onion
butt
1 teaspoon white pepper
3 pounds veal
¾ teaspoon ground cloves
½ pound pork fat
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups whole milk
¼ teaspoon finely chopped chives
1½ teaspoons salt
4 large eggs, beaten
¼ cup minced chives
Cut the pork, veal, and fat into 1-inch cubes and grind twice with the medium
plate of a meat grinder. Place in a large bowl. Mix milk, salt, minced chives,
onion, pepper, cloves, nutmeg, chopped chives, and eggs together thoroughly.
Add spices to meat mixture and mix thoroughly. Grind the mixture through the
fine grinder plate. Stuff into casings, making 5-inch lengths. Place the sausage
into a pan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for
15 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve warm, or let cool in refrigerator
and then freeze.
116 Chapter 7
Smoked
Bratwurst
4 pounds boneless pork shoulder butt ½ teaspoon cayenne powder
1 pound beef chuck 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 pound pork back fat, diced 1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons noniodized salt 1
⁄3 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons sugar 2 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons ground white pepper 1 cup whole milk
Cut the pork and beef into 1-inch cubes and grind it and the pork back fat
through a ¼-inch grinding plate. Regrind through a fine plate and set aside in a
large bowl. Thoroughly mix the salt, sugar, pepper, cayenne, nutmeg, thyme, and
ginger in nonmetallic container. Mix the eggs thoroughly with milk in a small
bowl, then combine with spices and mix thoroughly. Mix the spice mixture into
the meat, then place in a food processor in small batches and run until the meat
mixture is a pastelike texture. Stuff into pork casings or freeze immediately. The
bratwurst must be cooked to an internal temperature of 150ºF before serving.
Note: If you desire to smoke the bratwurst, be sure to add 1 level teaspoon of a
cure mix to each 5 pounds of meat mixture and mix thoroughly before stuffing
and smoking.
Making SauSage and BaCon 117
Basic Chorizo
Sausage
5 pounds boneless pork shoulder butt 2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon chipotle powder 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano 3 tablespoons salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin 1 cup cider vinegar
Trim the pork and cut into 1-inch cubes. Chill before grinding and then grind
it through the ¼-inch meat grinder plate. Reserve the meat in a large bowl.
Combine the chipotle powder, garlic, oregano, cumin, chili powder, black
pepper, paprika, and salt in nonmetallic container and mix thoroughly. Add the
vinegar and spices to the meat and mix thoroughly for at least 2 minutes. Stuff
into casings or make into bulk packages. If stuffing, let the chorizo hang in a
cooler or refrigerator (if possible) for 8 to 12 hours to dry. It can be kept in the
refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for 3 months.
118 Chapter 7
Country
Sausage
2½ pounds boneless 2 tablespoons crushed garlic
pork shoulder butt
1 tablespoon dried savory
2½ pounds boneless beef chuck
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
1 cup nonchlorinated water
Trim fat from the pork and beef and cut into 1-inch cubes. Grind the meat
through a medium grinding plate and reserve in a large bowl. Mix the salt,
paprika, garlic, savory, marjoram, and pepper in a nonmetallic bowl, then add
water and mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture into the pork and beef and mix
thoroughly for at least 2 minutes. Stuff into casings. Set the sausage in the
refrigerator, covered, for 6 hours before packing for storage. It can be kept up to
3 days in refrigerator or up to 3 months in freezer.
Pork sausage: A fresh, uncooked sausage made entirely from pork and
seasonings. It is often sold in bulk, in a chub or links, or as patties.
Making SauSage and BaCon 119
Cut the boneless pork shoulder into 1-inch cubes and grind the meat through a
medium plate. Reserve the meat in a large bowl. Mix the salt, white pepper, black
pepper, sage, brown sugar, marjoram, cayenne powder, and cloves thoroughly in
nonmetallic container. Add the spices to the pork and mix thoroughly. Form the
meat into patties and fry in a skillet, turning often, until the internal temperature
reaches 160ºF. The patties must be cooked before serving.
Kielbasa: It is typically made from coarsely ground lean pork and is sometimes
combined with beef and veal, or both. It is similar to Italian sausage in that its
name is more of a generic term than a reference to a specific sausage.
Polish Sausage
5 pounds pork trimmings or boneless 3 tablespoons salt
pork shoulder butt
¼ cup minced garlic
1 pound lean beef
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 cup water
2 tablespoons dried marjoram
Cut pork shoulder and beef into 1-inch cubes and grind the meat through the
medium grinding plate. Reserve the meat in a large bowl. Mix the water, salt,
garlic, black pepper, and marjoram together in a small bowl and add to meat
mixture. Regrind the mixture through a ¼-inch plate and stuff into casings.
Refrigerate immediately. It can be kept for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or up
to 3 months in the freezer. It must be cooked before serving.
120 Chapter 7
Sweet Italian
Sausage
5 pounds pork trimmings 3 teaspoons ground black pepper
or boneless pork shoulder butt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 pound pork back fat
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3½ tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
5 teaspoons cracked fennel seed
1 teaspoon dried sweet basil
2 tablespoons paprika
1 cup nonchlorinated water
Cut pork and fat into 1-inch cubes and grind meat and fat through the ¼-inch
plate of meat grinder. Reserve the meat in a large bowl. Combine the salt, fennel,
paprika, pepper, sugar, garlic, oregano, and basil in a nonmetallic container
and mix thoroughly with water. Add the mixture to the meat, mix, and regrind
through a ¼-inch diameter plate. Stuff into casings or make bulk packages. No
smoking is necessary as this is a fresh sausage. Cook before serving. It can be
kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
Making SauSage and BaCon 121
Spicy Italian
Sausage
5 pounds pork trimmings 4 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
or boneless pork shoulder butt
4 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
½ pound pork back fat, diced
3 tablespoons salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons hot red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
3 tablespoons paprika
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons fennel seeds, crushed
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 cup water
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Cube the pork shoulder into 1-inch pieces and grind it and the back fat
through a coarse plate into a large bowl. Add the cayenne pepper, red pepper
flakes, paprika, fennel seeds, thyme, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, sugar, pepper,
and nutmeg, and mix thoroughly. Grind again through a medium plate. Add
the vinegar and water and mix thoroughly. Stuff the mixture into casings
and twist into 6-inch links. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to cook. Cook at
an internal temperature of 150ºF. If you smoke it, smoke at 140ºF for proper
color development and then raise the temperature to 170ºF, until the internal
temperature reaches 155ºF.
Liverwurst
3 pounds pork shoulder butt 1 teaspoon allspice
2 pounds pork liver 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 medium onion, grated ½ teaspoon dried ground sage
2 tablespoons salt 1 cup water
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
Cut the pork and liver into 1-inch cubes. Place the liver in a skillet over medium
heat and simmer for 3 minutes, then remove from the heat and let cool. Grind
the pork and liver twice with a fine grinder plate or pulse in a food processor until
finely ground. Mix the onion, salt, marjoram, allspice, pepper, and sage with water
in a small bowl, then add that mixture to the ground meat and mix thoroughly.
Stuff in casings, and then simmer the sausages in water until the internal
temperature reaches a minimum of 152ºF. When finished, remove from water and
let cool to room temperature. Package and refrigerate. Serve cold or freeze.
Braunschweiger
10 pounds pork trimmings 3 ounces soy protein (optional)
and boneless pork shoulder butt
1 medium onion, grated
10 pounds pork liver
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pound fat bacon
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
2
⁄3 cup salt
1 tablespoon cure (6 percent)
4 tablespoons ground white pepper
Cut the pork and liver into 1-inch cubes. Grind pork trimmings, liver, and bacon
to a very fine consistency. In a large bowl, mix the meat with salt, pepper, soy
protein, onion, nutmeg, ginger, and cure. Stuff in moisture-proof fibrous casing
and cook in a 165ºF water bath for 1½ hours or until the internal temperature of
sausage reaches 155ºF. Remove from heat and chill rapidly in water.
Making SauSage and BaCon 123
Thuringer
Sausage
2 teaspoons black peppercorns 2 teaspoons cure
4 pounds boneless pork shoulder 2 tablespoons sugar
1 pound pork back fat ½ teaspoon dry ground mustard
3 tablespoons Fermento 2 teaspoons ground coriander
3 tablespoons salt 2 teaspoons allspice
In a small bowl, cover the peppercorns with warm water and soak for a
minimum of 1 hour. Cube the pork shoulder and fat into 1-inch pieces, and then
grind through a medium grinding plate. Dissolve the Fermento in ½ cup water,
stirring to a thin paste. In another small bowl, mix the salt, cure, sugar, drained
peppercorns, mustard, coriander, and allspice thoroughly. Add spice mix and
Fermento to meat and mix together. Refrigerate for 3 days or ferment at 85ºF for
a minimum of 24 hours. Regrind the meat through a fine plate. Stuff the mixture
into sausage casings, tie the ends, and hang on smoke sticks. Let them dry for
minimum of 10 hours at 65 to 70ºF. Then cold smoke below 100º F for 5 hours
(see page 169). Raise the smoker temperature to 180ºF and bring the internal
sausage temperature to 150ºF. Place in a cold-water bath to cool completely,
then refrigerate.
124 Chapter 7
• Cut the meat and fat into cubes and grind • Bologna: A generic term for a fully cooked,
them through the grinder’s large die. mildly seasoned sausage made from
low-value pieces of pork, beef, or both.
• Season the meat and fat with salt, cure, It can be eaten cold or reheated. It is
and spices, and mix thoroughly. typically produced in large-diameter rings
or chubs, which give it several distinctive
• Cool the meat in the refrigerator, covered, styles and shape, although they are much
for 4 hours. the same as hot dogs.
• Remove the meat and regrind, adding • New England sausage: Also known as
nonchlorinated crushed ice to keep the Berliner, this sausage is made from
Making SauSage and BaCon 125
Mettwurst
Sausage
3 pounds pork shoulder butt ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
1 pound veal ½ teaspoon ground caraway seeds
1 pound beef chuck 1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
2 tablespoons salt 1 teaspoon ground celery seeds
1 tablespoon ground white pepper 1 teaspoon commercial cure
(if smoked)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon allspice
Cut the pork, veal, and chuck into 1-inch cubes and grind through a medium
plate. Reserve the meat in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the salt, white
pepper, coriander, allspice, marjoram, caraway seeds, mustard seeds, celery
seeds, and cure until combined. Add the spices to the meat mixture and mix
thoroughly. When mixed, regrind the full mixture through a fine plate and stuff
in casings. Smoke the sausage at 100 to 120ºF for a minimum of 6 hours, then
increase the smoker temperature to 160ºF and continue smoking until reaching
an internal temperature of 150ºF. Rinse the sausages with cool water to allow
flavors to develop. Place in a cooler or refrigerator for 12 hours before packing
or freezing.
126 Chapter 7
Hot Dog
Recipe
3 pounds pork shoulder butt 2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 pounds beef chuck 1 tablespoon onion powder
3 tablespoons paprika 1 tablespoon ground mace
3 tablespoons corn syrup 1 tablespoon ground white pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon cure
1 tablespoon ground dried mustard 1 cup nonfat dried milk powder
1 tablespoon salt 2 egg whites
2 teaspoons finely ground 1½ cups ice water
black pepper
Cut the pork and beef into 1-inch cubes. Grind twice through the smallest
grinder plate. Refrigerate in a large bowl for 2 hours between grindings. In a
medium bowl, mix the paprika, corn syrup, garlic powder, mustard, salt, black
pepper, coriander, onion powder, mace, white pepper, cure, and dried milk
powder thoroughly, and then incorporate the egg whites. Mix the spices with
meat and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Grind the mixture again through a fine
grinding plate. Chill. Emulsify small batches in a food processor, adding ice water
as needed until a pastelike consistency. Repeat with the remaining mixture until
it’s all emulsified, and keep the mixture cool until ready to stuff into casings.
After stuffing, they are ready for meat smoker. Or cook them for eating by
simmering in water until they reach internal temperature of 152ºF.
Making SauSage and BaCon 127
Traditional
Salami
4 pounds boneless pork shoulder ½ cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 pound pork back fat 3 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup salt 1½ tablespoons ground fennel
1 teaspoon cure 4 teaspoons ground black pepper
¼ cup Bactoferm F-RM-52, 1 teaspoon minced garlic
starter culture
¼ cup nonchlorinated water
Cut the pork and fat into 1-inch cubes but keep them separate (this will keep the
fat distinct from the meat in the finished product). Combine the pork shoulder
with salt and cure thoroughly and grind with small die. Reserve in a large bowl.
Mix in the back fat and cure and cool in the refrigerator until ready for mixing.
Dissolve the Bactoferm in water and add to the meat. Then mix in the dry milk
powder, sugar, fennel, black pepper, and garlic. Stuff the sausage into casings
and twist into 8-inch links. Use a sterile pin or needle to poke holes in casings
to remove air pockets and help drying. Weigh each link and record the results.
Cover the sausage links with clean towel and allow to sit at room temperature
(80 to 85ºF) for 12 hours for bacteria to grow and produce lactic acid. Then hang
the sausages in drying area at 60ºF with 60 to 70 percent humidity that is free
of insects, pests, and rodents. Dry until they’re completely firm or have lost
30 percent of their weight (about 6 to 14 weeks). Store sausages at temperatures
of 50 to 60ºF and with less than 75 percent humidity.
Making SauSage and BaCon 129
Pepperoni
Sausage
4 pounds pork shoulder 4 tablespoons sugar
1 pound beef chuck 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons salt 2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons cure ¾ cup nonfat dry milk powder
¼ cup Bactoferm F-RM-52 1½ teaspoons ground fennel
starter culture
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
¼ cup nonchlorinated water
Cut the pork and beef into 1-inch cubes, place in a large bowl, and mix with salt
and cure. Grind through the smallest die. In a small bowl, dissolve the Bactoferm
in water. Mix the sugar, black pepper, paprika, dry milk powder, fennel, and
cayenne pepper thoroughly. Mix spices with Bactoferm thoroughly and mix into
the meat. Stuff the mixture into sausage casings and twist into 10-inch lengths.
Using a sterile pin or needle, poke holes all over the casings to remove any air
pockets and help with drying. Weigh each link and record the results. Hang the
links at room temperature (80 to 85ºF) for 12 hours to allow bacteria to produce
lactic acid. Then hang the sausages in a drying area at 60ºF with 60 to 70 percent
humidity that is free of insects, pests, and rodents. Dry until they’re completely
firm or have lost 30 percent of their weight (about 6 to 14 weeks). Store the
sausages at temperatures of 50 to 60ºF with less than 75 percent humidity.
130 Chapter 7
Landjäger Sausage
3 pounds pork shoulder ¼ teaspoon ground caraway seed
1 pound beef chuck ¼ teaspoon cardamom
¼ cup salt ¼ cup Fermento
1 teaspoon cure 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons sugar ⁄3 cup nonchlorinated water
1
Cut the pork and beef into 1-inch cubes and grind through fine grinding plate.
Reserve the meat in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the salt, cure, sugar, black
pepper, caraway seed, cardamom, Fermento, and nutmeg together thoroughly.
Mix the water and corn syrup together in another small bowl, then mix with the
spices thoroughly. Add to the meat mixture and incorporate thoroughly. Cool in
the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Stuff the casings, but not tightly, and make 8-inch
links. Use a sterile pin or needle to prick any air pockets. Place the stuffed sausage
between two clean weights to flatten them. Allow to sit and ferment for 72 hours
at room temperature (68 to 70ºF with 90 to 95 percent humidity). Remove the
weights and clean off any accumulated slime on the links. Weigh each link and
record the results. Dry at room temperature until casings are dry to the touch or
place in smoker with vent open at 140ºF, without smoke, until the casings are
dry to the touch. Tie a cooking string or cord around each link and hang from
smoke racks. Cold smoke at 68ºF for 4 hours to prevent mold growth. After the
casings feel dry, start to smoke at 145ºF for 2 hours with the vent full open. Raise
the temperature to 170ºF with or without smoke (your preference) and continue
until reaching an internal temperature of 160ºF. Remove and allow to cool. Then
hang the sausages in a drying area free of insects, pests, and rodents at 60ºF
with 60 to 70 percent humidity for 14 to 15 days, until hard. Dry until they’re
completely firm or have lost 30 percent of their weight (about 6 weeks). Store
sausages at temperatures of 50 to 60ºF and with less than 75 percent humidity.
Making SauSage and BaCon 131
Potato Sausage
3 pounds meat (pork head) 2 onions, ground
½ cup nonchlorinated water Pepper, salt, dried sweet marjoram
to taste
10 pounds potatoes,
peeled and grated
In a large pot, cook the meat in water until done. Reserve the accumulated
cooking liquid. Allow the meat to cool, then grind. Mix the ground meat in a
large bowl with potatoes, onions, and spices. Add broth until mixture looks like
cooked oatmeal. Stuff in casings, then heat in hot water.
Blood Sausage
1 pint pig blood 1½ teaspoons ground allspice
1 pint milk or water 1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 5 cups flour, plus up to 1 cup more
as needed
1½ teaspoons ground cloves
Mix all the ingredients together. If the batter is too runny, add additional flour,
up to 1 more cup. Drop by large spoonfuls into a large kettle of salted boiling
water. Cook until brown throughout. Remove from the water and eat hot with
butter and syrup.
Making SauSage and BaCon 133
Ham and cheese loaf: Contains pieces of finely ground ham with cheese.
Ham Loaf
¼ pound cooked lean ham 2 cups milk
1 cup bread crumbs ¼ cup grated cheese
3 large eggs Orange slices (optional), for serving
2 tablespoons chili sauce Pear halves (optional), for serving
1 cup ground carrots Mint jelly (optional), for serving
½ teaspoon salt Sweet cherries (optional), for serving
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Chop ham finely and place in a large bowl. In a
large bowl, mix bread crumbs, eggs, chili sauce, carrots, salt, pepper, and milk
thoroughly. Mix in the ham and cheese. Place in 9×5-inch loaf pan or mold and
bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve with a garnish of orange slices, or with pear
halves filled with mint jelly and topped with sweet cherries.
COOKING
WITH
PORK
Y
ou have reached the end of your work, and now is
the time to reap your reward with hearty and tasteful
meals. The range of uses with pork is almost limitless
and maybe only by your imagination. You have butchered
your own animal, you have cut apart the carcass, you have
preserved much of the meat for later use, and now you can
begin to experiment with cooking.
This chapter will focus on different styles of cooking in
relation to using pork. Because the number of recipes is
almost endless, we will explore some of the more common
ones but provide a framework for alterations as you proceed.
135
Cooking with pork 137
Breaded
Brains
1 pound pork brains, ½ teaspoon salt
cooked and drained
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg
½ cup dry bread crumbs, crushed
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 cup lard
Remove the outer membrane of the brain. Slice into ½-inch-thick strips. Beat
the egg in a small bowl and then mix in the milk, salt, and pepper. Pour the
mixture into a shallow dish. Pour the bread crumbs into another shallow dish.
In a skillet over medium heat, heat the lard until melted and hot. Dip the strips
into liquid mixture and then coat with bread crumbs. Fry in the skillet until
brown. Remove and season to taste. They can be eaten with scrambled eggs
and/or vegetables.
138 Chapter 8
Brain
Rissoles
2 tablespoons butter or margarine For pastry dough:
2 tablespoons all-purpose white flour 2 cups sifted white flour
¼ teaspoon salt ¾ teaspoon salt
1
⁄8 teaspoon ground black pepper 2
⁄3 cup shortening
1 cup whole milk 5 tablespoons nonchlorinated water
1 pound pork brains,
cooked and drained
¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the flour, salt, and
pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth
and bubbly. Remove from the heat. Gradually stir in the milk, return to heat, and
bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute then remove the sauce from the
heat and let cool.
Remove the outer membrane of the brain. Slice into pieces and grind in
food processor.
Add salt, green pepper, and the sauce to the food processor and pulse to
combine. Form into small balls.
For the pastry dough, mix the flour and salt together and blend in shortening
using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your clean fingers. Add water until the mixture
holds together. Roll out half of the pastry dough 1⁄8 inch thick. Place the balls
of meat on the pastry equal distances apart. Roll out the remaining pastry and
drape it over the meat balls, lined up with the bottom pastry. Cut out around
each meatball with a round cutter. Press the upper and lower edges together.
Bake until at 450ºF for 15 minutes, or deep-fry at 375ºF for 10 minutes.
Cooking with pork 139
Heart
Goulash
1 tablespoon lard 1 cup diced celery
1 cup cooked, chopped pig heart ½ cup diced tomato
1 cup cooked, chopped pork shoulder ½ cup sour cream
½ onion, chopped 2 tablespoons cold water
1 cup water 2 tablespoons flour
1¼ teaspoons salt 2½ cups cooked rice or noodles
½ cup diced carrot
In a skillet over medium heat, melt the lard. Brown the heart, pork, and onion in
the lard, then add water, salt, carrots, and celery. Cook for 20 minutes or until the
vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes and sour cream. In a small bowl, mix
the water and flour to a smooth paste and then blend into the meat mixture.
Cook over low heat until thickened. Serve with cooked rice or noodles.
140 Chapter 8
Stuffed
Heart
1 pig heart 2 tablespoons flour
8 ounces bread stuffing 1½ cups water
2 tablespoons lard
Slice open the heart halfway. Wash it thoroughly and then fill with stuffing.
Tie it together firmly with cooking string. In a metal skillet, melt the lard and
heat until shimmering. Roll the heart in flour, and then brown in the hot
lard. Season with salt and pepper. Add the water, cover tightly, and simmer
on low heat for 3 hours or until tender. Thicken the liquid as needed with
additional flour.
Baked Tongue
and Noodles
¾ pound cooked pork tongue, sliced ¼ cup cracker crumbs
3½ cups cooked noodles 1 tablespoon butter
2 cups cooked tomatoes
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Arrange layers of tongue and noodles in a baking
dish. Add the tomatoes and cover with crumbs. Dot with butter. Bake for
30 minutes.
Pig Tongue
1 fresh pork tongue 1 tablespoon ground parsley
2 medium onions, sliced 8 whole peppercorns
1 carrot 1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup diced celery and leaves
Place the ingredients in dutch oven or similar pan, using just enough water to
cover tongue. Simmer for 3 to 4 hours or until tongue is tender. Drain off the
water and serve the tongue sliced, hot or cold.
142 Chapter 8
Stewed
Kidneys
2 pork kidneys ½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt 1 bay leaf, crumbled
1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup water
1½ tablespoons liquid lard 1 teaspoon vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Remove the outer skin from the kidneys. Slice each kidney in half, wash
thoroughly, and remove the white tubes. Slice into ¼-inch pieces and season
with salt and pepper. Let stand for 30 minutes, and then drain and dry with a
paper towel. Heat the lard in a skillet over medium heat, then add the kidneys
and cook with herbs until tender. Add water and vinegar and heat thoroughly.
Serve immediately.
Cooking with pork 143
Pork and
Kidney Pie
1½ pounds pork shoulder For the pastry dough:
½ pound pork kidneys 2 cups sifted white flour
2 cups flour ¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon salt 2
⁄3 cup shortening
1 teaspoon ground black pepper 5 tablespoons nonchlorinated water
1 tablespoon chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced parsley
½ pound mushrooms, sliced
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cut the pork and kidney into ½-inch cubes. Mix the
flour with salt and pepper in a shallow dish and then roll the pork pieces in the
mix to coat evenly. In a greased casserole dish, arrange the meat in an even
layer and add onion, parsley, mushrooms, and enough water to cover the meat
completely. Cover tightly with a lid or foil and cook for 1 hour, or until meat
is tender.
For the pastry dough, mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl and blend
in the shortening using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers. Add water until
the mixture holds together.
Roll out the pastry dough large enough to cover the casserole dish. Remove the
casserole dish from the oven. Remove the cover and carefully replace it with
pastry, pricking the crust to allow steam to escape. Return to oven, increase the
heat to 450ºF, and bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is browned.
144 Chapter 8
Savory
Liver
1½ pounds pork liver, 1 teaspoon salt
sliced into ¼-inch strips
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
2½ cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
In a deep skillet over medium heat, brown the onion and parsley in butter. Stir
in the flour, salt, pepper, and vinegar, and then add the broth gradually, stirring
constantly. Cook until thickened. Add the liver to the gravy and cook, covered,
for 15 minutes, turning once.
Cooking with pork 145
Liver
Casserole
1 pound pork liver 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
¾ cup tomato sauce 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven 350ºF. Wash the liver thoroughly. Cut into 1½-inch cubes and
place in a greased casserole dish. Add the tomato sauce, salt, and pepper; cover
with a lid or foil and bake for 30 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce just
before serving.
Braised Liver
2 pounds pork liver 1 tablespoon chopped green pepper
4 slices bacon 1 teaspoon salt
1 onion, sliced 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce ½ cup water
2 tablespoons ketchup
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the liver in a greased baking dish and cover
with bacon slices. Mix the onion, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, green pepper,
salt, and black pepper together in a small bowl and then pour over the liver. Add
water to the pan, cover tightly, and bake for 1½ hours. Remove the cover for the
last 15 minutes of baking to brown the bacon.
146 Chapter 8
• Begin by rinsing the stomach inside and • Bring a pot of water to boiling and add
outside to remove any particles attached the stomach pieces. Boil for 5 minutes
to it. to cook away any slimy impurities. (The
stomach should be a pale, milky color
• Next, vigorously rub table salt over the when finished.)
entire exterior surface.
• Drain the stomach pieces and let cool. Dry
• To keep stomach intact, make a cut about with a clean paper towel.
4 inches long in one end of the stomach
and turn the stomach inside out, or slice • Package and freeze or use within 2 days if
the stomach into two halves. not frozen.
Cooking with pork 147
Stuffed
Pig Stomach
2 pounds pork sausage Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine pork
sausage and celery, eggs, potatoes, onion,
2 stalks celery, diced
salt, and pepper thoroughly in nonmetallic
2 eggs container. Place the stomach on clean
cutting board and stitch one end closed
2 potatoes, diced
with cooking thread. Stuff the ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped into the stomach and then stitch the
opening closed. Place in casserole dish,
1 teaspoon salt
cover, and bake for 2½ hours. Uncover for
1 teaspoon ground black pepper the last 20 to 30 minutes to brown the
outer skin. Slice and serve.
1 whole pig stomach, cleaned
148 Chapter 8
Pig’s Head
After removing the head, follow these steps:
• Rinse the head well with cold water and • Bake at 375ºF for 1½ hours.
pat dry.
• Lower the heat to 320ºF and cook for
• Place the head in a colander in the sink 2 more hours, or until cooked through.
and pour boiling water over the inside of
neck to remove any particles. • Baste the skin well every 30 minutes with
the honey-water mixture.
• Slice the underside of head and rub half of
the recipe mixture below into the opening. • When finished baking, remove to a platter
and garnish.
• Rub the remaining mixture onto the skin.
Place the head upright on a rack in a large • Slice the meat into pieces and serve with
baking pan. sweet vegetables and a sweet sauce.
Pig’s Head
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground cloves ½ cup brown bean sauce
¼ teaspoon fennel seed, 1 pig’s head, cleaned
toasted and ground
1 cup honey
¼ teaspoon ground star anise
1 cup nonchlorinated water
¼ teaspoon peppercorns,
toasted and ground
Combine cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise, peppercorns, salt, and bean
sauce thoroughly. Use this spice mixture as outlined above. Mix honey and
water together in a medium bowl to use for basting. Use as directed above.
Cooking with pork 149
Scrapple
1 pig’s head, scraped and cleaned 4 teaspoons ground black pepper
4¼ quarts nonchlorinated water 1 teaspoon powdered dried sage
4 teaspoons salt 3 cups yellow cornmeal
Separate the head into halves. Remove the eyes and brains. Place in a large
kettle and cover with cold water. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 hours, or until the
meat falls from the bones. Carefully skim the grease from the surface, then
remove the bones and discard. Remove the meat, chop fine, and return to
the liquid. Season with salt, pepper, and sage. Sift in the cornmeal, stirring
constantly, and cook until the mixture is thickened to the consistency of soft
mush. Cook slowly for 1 hour over low heat. When sufficiently cooked, pour into
greased oblong pans and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. To serve,
heat a skillet over medium heat. Cut the scrapple into thin slices and fry until
crisp and brown.
Pig Spleen
Before cooking the spleen:
• Lay it on a clean cutting board and trim off the outer membrane.
150 Chapter 8
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lay spleen on a clean cutting board and slice in half
lengthwise. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over surfaces. Lay the bacon strips on
the spleen and top with sage leaves. Roll the spleen tightly and skewer with wood or
metal picks. Dissolve the bouillon cubes in water and pour into oven-safe casserole
dish. Slice the green pepper into strips and place the spleen slices and pepper strips
into the dish. Cover and bake for 1½ hours. Serve with raw onion slices.
Chop the spleen finely or grind in food processor. Mince the onion and sauté in
butter in skillet over medium heat. When it browns, add the spleen and sprinkle
with Cognac. After the Cognac evaporates, add the white wine and continue
simmering until the spleen is about half done. Add the minced anchovy filet. Stir
constantly, moistening with wine as necessary, until done, about 10 minutes.
Allow to cool and then serve on toast or thinly sliced bread.
Cooking with pork 151
yudhacookbook.com
Roasted
Pig Bones
3 to 4 pounds pork bones 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
4 large portabello mushrooms, 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
stems removed
2 teaspoons capers
2 teaspoons sea salt
4- to 6½-inch-thick slices
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil of crusty bread, toasted
Preheat the oven to 450°F. On a foil-lined baking sheet or in a large metal oven-
safe skillet, arrange the bones cut-side up. Add mushrooms to the baking sheet
or skillet. Bake for 15 minutes or until marrow is soft and begins to separate
from bones. In a small bowl, mix salt, olive oil, and lemon juice thoroughly, and
then add the parsley and capers. Remove the bones and mushrooms from oven
and place on large platter. To serve, slice the mushrooms into strips, scoop the
marrow out of the bones and spread it on toast, and then sprinkle with the
parsley and caper mixture.
152 Chapter 8
Black
Pudding
2½ teaspoons salt, divided 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cups fresh pork blood 1 cup milk
1½ cups steel-cut oats 1½ teaspoons ground black pepper
2 cups finely diced pork fat 1 teaspoon ground allspice
Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease two glass loaf pans. Stir 1 teaspoon of salt
into the blood. Bring 2½ cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan and stir
in the oats. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, until just tender but
not mushy. Pour the blood through a fine sieve into a large bowl to remove any
lumps. Stir in the fat, onion, milk, pepper, allspice, and remaining 1½ teaspoons
salt. Add the oatmeal and mix to combine. Divide the mixture between the loaf
pans, cover with foil, and bake for 1 hour, until firm. Cool completely. Seal in
plastic wrap and freeze, or store in refrigerator for up to 1 week. To serve, cut
a ½-inch-thick slice off the loaf. Fry in butter or oil until the edges are slightly
crispy and browned.
Cooking with pork 153
Sautéed Pig Ears
2 pig ears, cleaned Cook the ears first by placing in saucepan and covering in
water. Boil for 2 hours, topping off with water as needed.
1 cup olive oil
Remove any foam that surfaces. Then reduce the heat and
1 teaspoon paprika simmer until the ears are soft enough for a fork to pass
through. In a large frying pan, heat olive oil to shimmering.
1 teaspoon salt
Slice the ears in ½-inch-wide strips and cook until crisp.
Remove and cool. Sprinkle with paprika and salt and serve.
Pig Feet
There are many recipes for using pig feet. The following are only a few that can
help you create interesting and unusual dishes.
Scrape feet, wash thoroughly, and tie each separately in a piece of cheesecloth.
Cover with boiling water and add salt. Heat to boiling, reduce heat, and simmer
6 hours. Cool in the water. When cold, drain, but do not remove cloth. Chill. Use
for broiling, frying, and pickling.
Broiled Pigs’ Feet—Split feet, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and flour, and broil for
10 minutes. Season with butter, salt, and pepper.
Fried Pigs’ Feet—Split feet and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Dip into
beaten egg, then into bread crumbs, and fry in hot, deep fat (375ºF) for 5 minutes.
Pig Knuckles
and Sauerkraut
3 teaspoons salt 1 quart sauerkraut
4 pig knuckles
Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil and stir in 3 teaspoons of salt. Add the whole
knuckles and cover and simmer until the meat is tender, about 2½ to 3 hours.
Twenty minutes before serving, pour off most of the water and add sauerkraut.
Heat thoroughly. Serve the meat on a bed of sauerkraut.
yudhacookbook.com Cooking with pork 155
Pickled
Pig Feet
or Hocks
4 boiled pig feet or hocks ¼ cup salt
1 quart white distilled vinegar 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
4 fresh bay leaves 1 large onion, cut into eighths
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon broken
cinnamon stick chunks
Clean the feet carefully, then place in a pot and cover with at least 2 quarts
of hot water. Simmer for 1 hour or until the meat separates from the bones,
then remove the meat carefully with a skimmer. Place in a crock or jar, taking
out the large bones, skin, and most of the fat. Reserve the cooking liquid. In
a nonreactive saucepan, heat the vinegar, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, salt,
pepper, and onion. Simmer slowly for 45 minutes, but do not let boil at any time.
Skim the fat from the top of the reserved cooking liquid and discard. Measure
1 quart of the liquid and add it to the vinegar mixture. Strain the liquid through
a sieve and pour it over the meat. Seal the crock or jar and let stand in the
refrigerator overnight and up to 2 days, depending on preference. Skim off any
cooled fat from the top before serving.
156 Chapter 8
Pig Intestines
Pig intestines will need intensive cleaning to remove any pungent odors and
tastes before they are edible. The cleaning isn’t impossible but is more difficult
than with many other pig parts.
Pig Intestines
4 pounds pork intestines, cleaned 1 cup white vinegar
2 medium onions, peeled and halved ¼ cup lemon juice
1 green pepper, sliced 2 tablespoons salt
1 celery stalk, chopped 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled
In a large pot, place the cleaned intestines, onions, green pepper, celery, and
garlic cloves in 4 quarts water. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper
and bring to boil. Simmer for 2½ hours or until intestines are soft. Remove and
serve. Season to taste.
Cooking with pork 157
Pig Snout
and Lips
1 pound pig snout and lips 2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup white wine
1 large onion, minced 3 cups chicken broth
Slice the snout and lips into ¼-inch-thick strips. In large kettle, bring 6 cups of
water to a boil and add the strips. Reduce the heat immediately and simmer
for 1 hour. Skim the surface of any film or oil deposits. Drain the snout and lips
and set aside. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the
ginger, garlic, and onion and sauté for 10 minutes. Add the strips, soy sauce,
sugar, and cinnamon, and stir. Pour in the white wine and broth, stir and
cover. Simmer for 1 hour or until the strips are fork tender. Remove and serve
with vegetables.
158 Chapter 8
Spiced Pork
Scratchings
½ teaspoon whole fennel seeds 1½ tablespoons sea salt, divided
½ teaspoon cumin seed 1 pound pork rind, with ½-inch fat
¼ teaspoon paprika
Toast the whole fennel and cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until
fragrant, and then grind them together with paprika. Mix in ¾ tablespoon
of salt. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Cut the rind into strips 2 inches wide and
3 inches long. Rub the rind with the remaining ¾ tablespoon of salt and let rest
for 20 minutes. Put the pieces on a rack in a roasting tray without touching each
other. Roast in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Turn the roasting tray around every
5 minutes to make sure the rind doesn’t burn. When the scratchings are bubbly
and crisp, they are ready. Remove and place in a heat-resistant bowl. Mix in the
spices and stir to coat evenly. Serve or store them in an airtight container for
2 to 3 days.
Cooking with pork 159
Pig Bladder
1 pig bladder, brined and cleaned 1 teaspoon ground dried coriander
8 ounces rolled oats 1 teaspoon mace
1 pound pork trimmings and fat 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 onions, diced fine 2 cups nonchlorinated water
1 tablespoon salt Kettle of water to submerge bladder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Rinse the bladder in clean, cold water and set aside. Cook the oats according to
package instructions. Dice the pork trimmings and fat into 1⁄8-inch cubes. Then
mix onions, oatmeal, salt, pepper, coriander, mace, and nutmeg thoroughly
together in bowl. Add water to moisten the mixture to a soft, crumbly
consistency. Stitch one end of bladder shut with cooking thread. Spoon the
mixture into the bladder and fill three-quarters full. Stitch the open end shut.
Heat a pot of water to boiling and add the bladder. Reduce to a simmer and
cook for 3 hours without a lid, adding water as needed to keep the bladder
submerged. Remove and place on large serving platter. The cladder should be
extended (like a football). To serve, cut open the bladder and spoon out the
filling. Serve with mashed potatoes and red wine.
Cooking with pork 161
Pig Uterus
The pig’s uterus can be used in stir-fry dishes. Try the following.
Stir-Fry
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 pound pork tenderloin, 1 cup green whole peas
cubed into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 pig uterus, sliced into 1-inch rolls
3 cups portabello mushrooms, cubed
1 teaspoon red curry powder
¾ cup sliced green onions
1 teaspoon salt
2 lemon wedges
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cooked rice for serving
¼ cup whole milk
Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the pork and
uterus evenly with curry powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix the milk and fish
sauce together in a small bowl and set aside. Add the pork tenderloin and uterus
pieces, peas, garlic, and mushrooms to the hot wok. Stir together and cook for
3 to 4 minutes. Add the milk and fish sauce and stir well. Stir in the onions. Cook
until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat and squeeze the juice from the
lemon wedges over before serving with rice and red wine.
162 Chapter 8
SAUSAGE STORAGE
All sausage, except for dry sausage, is perishable and must be kept refrigerated unless used
immediately. The following storage times should be followed for maximum quality and safety.
Refrigerator— Refrigerator—
Type of Sausage unopened after opening Freezer
Fresh sausage, uncooked 1 to 2 days 1 to 2 days 1 to 2 months
Fresh sausage, after cooking at home N/A 3 to 4 days 2 to 3 months
Hard/dry sausage, whole 6 weeks 3 weeks 1 to 2 months
Hot dogs and other cooked sausage 2 weeks 7 days 1 to 2 months
Lunchmeats 2 weeks 3 to 5 days 1 to 2 months
Summer sausage (semidry) 3 months 3 weeks 1 to 2 months
Rendering Pork Lard you process at one time. You can render all the
The same process is used for rendering the fat at once or over several days, if you choose.
two types of pork fat: back fat and leaf fat. But keep the fat you don’t use right away either
Depending on the amount of fat you plan to chilled or frozen until you do. In fact, lard is
render, you should allow for a time period of 3 to easiest to work with when it is frozen or at least
8 hours. This will also depend on how much fat well chilled.
Cooking with pork 163
Equipment for Rendering Fat tops of your feet will be added protection from
any drops of hot fat.
• Knife and cutting board Now we’re ready to start.
evaporate. You want the fat to simmer, not boil, jars are adaptable to high-heat temperatures if
so monitor the fat and temperature closely. the glass is raised in temperature incrementally.
Never leave your cooking fat unattended. This Pouring boiling fat into a cold glass jar is too
is one reason to block out a set amount of time extreme a temperature rise too quickly and
and dedicate it to this task. Should fat come likely will compromise the jar’s integrity, either
into contact with a stove’s coils for any reason, shattering or cracking it. Allowing the fat to
it could ignite into a grease fire, which can have cool will reduce the differences in the two
disastrous consequences. temperatures and make it safer to pour.
As the fat cooks down, the volume decreases. Using wide-mouth jars will allow you to use a
When the mixture is about half liquid and half clean funnel to help pour the liquid in it. Also, it
solid, it is time for you to remove some of the will be easier to spoon out the solidified lard for
liquid to allow the remaining fat pieces to cook use if the mouth is wider.
down more easily. When it’s hot, lard is clear and usually has a
To separate the solids from the liquid, you can slightly yellow glow. But it will turn snow white
use a slotted ladle or spoon, a fine mesh colander as it cools in your refrigerator.
or strainer, or cheesecloth. You need a heat- Naturally rendered lard has a long shelf life if
resistant bowl in which to collect the liquid lard. kept in a cool, dry place out of sunlight. In well-
Strain the pieces from the liquid and place sealed jars, it can be kept for extended periods.
them in another heat-resistant bowl. Pour the However, if you don’t use it quickly, it is better to
liquid through the strainer or cheesecloth to refrigerate it until it’s used up. Rendered lard can
collect any solid pieces and bits that are not fat. be kept in your freezer almost indefinitely.
After draining the liquid fat, replace the large Fill the jars about three-quarters full with
fat pieces back into the pan, skillet, or pot to allow liquid fat. Don’t fill it completely to the top.
them to heat and liquefy as the rendering process Allow it to cool completely and then seal with a
continues. You can add more at this stage or start lid and screw on the top ring. By letting it cool
later with a fresh batch of fat cubes. As the pieces completely before sealing, you will allow heat
melt, repeat the draining process, but make sure and any moisture to escape without building up
the bowl has enough room to hold what you any pressure inside the jar.
pour. After the first batch is finished, you can start If you plan to freeze lard in jars, remember
a second, if you’ve allowed time for it. to allow enough of an empty space at the
The solid bits and pieces that you’ve strained top so there is room for possible expansion
or filtered out are minute pieces of tissue that as the fat freezes. If there is not enough room,
had helped to bind the fat together in the pig as any expansion may crack the jar. This is not
well as some meat that was trimmed along with disastrous because the lard will still be good. But
the fat when cutting up the carcass. This can be if it happens, be sure to inspect the lard for any
set aside and used for cracklings or fed to your possible glass shards once you begin to use it.
chickens or large pets. After you have finished rendering all the
Once you have completed the process of fat you have available, you will be able to use
rendering the fat, you should allow the liquid to it for cooking and baking, and your pig will
cool before pouring it into canning jars. These have helped.
Cooking with pork 165
S
moking and curing are two preservation methods you
can use for pork. Both processes involve drying the
meat, which will help inhibit bacterial growth. This
makes your pork cuts viable for long-term storage. Curing
meat in your home can be done safely and effectively.
You can smoke almost any part of your pig carcass, but in
particular the bacon, ham, pork shoulders, ribs, hocks, and
jowls to enhance their flavor.
Smoking and curing pork will extend its shelf life and
adds a flavor particular to the method used. You can make
sausages and patties and use smoke to add another layer of
flavor to them. Using proper smoking equipment is essential,
and while curing pork can be done with indoor processes
such as a dry rub, brine submersion, or pickling with an acidic
base, smoking will need to be done outdoors or in a well-
ventilated area such as a garage or shed.
167
168 Chapter 9
and often less dense in texture than whole cuts, provide in sausage smokers, dry sausages, and
are recommended to be hot smoked at 180ºF fresh pork held at room temperature.
because of the increased exposure the meat This, then, is the main reason for using a cure
particles have from being ground up, along product with processing meat. At this time,
with a higher fat content. For whole cuts, the there is no known substitute for nitrite in curing
recommended temperature is 200ºF, allowing for meat and sausages. The benefits of using it far
slow cooking and maximum smoke. If unsure of outweigh any health risks that may be associated
your equipment or your smoking unit has a heat with it. You can go without using nitrites if
control, hot smoke all recipes at 200ºF for safety, cooking fresh pork right after butchering the pig,
unless specified differently. but sooner or later you will need to consider how
Cold smoking refers to a temperature of less best to preserve the rest you can’t eat right away.
than 100ºF and is usually difficult to achieve The botulism bacteria are present in many
without proper equipment. If any recipe calls for soil conditions, vegetables, and other foods we
cold smoking, it will assume you have a unit that consume. So, how real is the danger of it? If you
can stay below 100ºF indefinitely. This is hard consume it, it is a very real danger and it comes
to do consistently and is not a recommended with a high risk of dying or encountering severe
practice, especially when you are just beginning nerve damage. Yet it’s not likely you will ever
a smoking career. If you pursue cold smoking, experience its effects because commercially
you will need to make certain the temperature available food products are strictly regulated
doesn’t rise above 95ºF to 100ºF to be safe. You and monitored. Most botulism cases occurring
should assume that any recipes appearing in in the United States are a result of improper
this book that require smoking refer to a hot home canning. Botulism spores are hard to kill
smoking method. but aren’t harmful except, potentially, to infants.
The spores in the soil and vegetables typically are
Cures not found in sufficient quantities to be deadly
If you plan to make smoked, cooked, or dry to humans. However, when these bacteria are
sausages, you will need to use a cure. A cure, or allowed to grow in an oxygen-free (anaerobic),
curing solution, is the addition of salt, sodium, or nonacidic environment between 40ºF and 140ºF,
potassium nitrates that inhibit and/or prevent they will multiply rapidly and start producing the
the growth of the botulism bacteria. Nitrites deadly toxin.
are made from the natural breakdown of either
sodium or potassium nitrate. Older generations Curing Salts
used saltpeter, a strong form of nitrate (sodium To inhibit the botulism spores and their growth,
or potassium) to cure their meats. Better a curing salt of some form must be used in any
alternatives are available today, and these will dry-cured sausages. There are no exceptions.
be discussed here. Sodium nitrite, often referred to as a pink salt
Clostridium botulinum is the bacteria that because of its color, prevents these bacteria from
causes botulism, a potent and deadly form growing. Sodium nitrate, for example, will act as
of food poisoning. The spores thrive in meat a sort of time-release capsule form of sodium
environments with temperatures between nitrite and must be used in all dry-cured sausages
40ºF and 140ºF, and with moist, low oxygen cured for long periods, such as salamis, which
conditions. This is exactly the environment we may be cold-smoked and then dried for weeks.
170 Chapter 9
Be aware that these cures themselves can sodium nitrate. It has a lower nitrite-to-nitrate
be dangerous if ingested, such as accidentally concentration (0.5 percent of each) and much
licking your finger that may be covered with more salt than the other cures.
these salts. There is a reason for curing salts to This makes the Morton product good as a
appear in recipes, and you should always use rub or in a brine, but it has a more limited use in
them in the proportions stated in the recipe. sausage making because, with the extra salt, it
Keep them out of the reach of children! can get very salty before the correct amount of
While you need to take precautions using cure is reached. InstaCure #1 and #2 are similar
curing salts, they are beneficial and have three to the Prague powder and can work very well
main functions: killing a range of bacteria, with any sausage making or meat curing. You
especially those responsible for botulism; should do your own research before beginning
preserving the pink color we associate with on sausage making to make the decisions that
meats; and adding a tangy flavor to the meat. will affect your resulting products.
Nitrates actually do nothing beneficial to food The bottom line, if not underlined then in big,
until they convert to nitrite. Potassium nitrate bold, letters, is that you need to use a cure if you
(saltpeter) was used until the 1970s, when it want safe smoked, cooked, or dried sausage.
was largely discontinued because it was too Sodium nitrate, and the sodium nitrite it produces,
inconsistent to be safe. Sodium nitrate is now is a safe product for curing meats and sausages.
manufactured and sold under the commercial
brand names of InstaCure #2 and DQ Curing Dry Cures
Salt #2. A dry cure is one in which a salt mixture is rubbed
For purposes of discussion rather than over the meat or the meat is rolled in it to cover
recommendation, three commercially available it completely. Most salt referred to is sodium
brand-name cures are frequently used: Prague chloride and appears as such in the recipes in
Powder #1 and #2, Morton Tender Quick, and this book. When a cure is listed, it refers to salts
InstaCure #1 and #2. Another includes tinted that have nitrite in them and sometimes nitrates.
curing mix (TCM), which is also referred to as A dry cure may also contain sugar.
Prague powder or pink salt. A generic dry cure ratio of salt to sugar is 2:1,
Regardless of the name, their composition is plus 10 percent of their combined weight of
the same: 93.75 percent salt and 6.25 percent cure. For example, 1 ounce of pink salt is enough
nitrite. Always use them based on the directions
given by the supplier as one brand may have
a higher concentration of sodium nitrite
than another. Basic Pork Cure Recipe
As an example, referring to the above products, 1 pound salt
the Prague Powder #1 and #2 are used for
different products; #1 is for all cured meats and 8 ounces sugar
sausages, except for kinds like salami, and #2 is 2 ounces (10 teaspoons) pink salt
used for dried meat and sausages. Both are used
in very small quantities, but, again, you must Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Store in a
follow the supplier’s directions exactly. Morton sealed, nonmetallic container.
Tender Quick contains both sodium nitrite and
Smoking and Curing pork 171
for 25 pounds of meat. Salt is important as an complete the process. This is because it will take
active ingredient, and sugar helps mitigate the longer for the smoke and heat to penetrate a
harshness of the salt, such as adding brown sugar thicker piece than a smaller piece, such as
or a maple syrup to curing salty bacon. a sausage link or a flat bacon slab.
Using acid in the dry-cure process is an The length of time that the smoke fills the
important part. Many professionals use a live chamber will affect the amount of smoke
culture that feeds on the sugar in the sausage deposited on the surface of the meat. Variations
mixture and releases lactic acid. This reduces in smoke density will also affect how much the
the pH level and helps prevent bacterial growth. smoke components adhere to the surface.
One commercially available product is Bactoferm The meat surface itself will also affect how
F-RM-52. Live cultures are kept frozen until use the smoke is absorbed. Temperature control at
when they are rehydrated. If using this kind of this stage will be important because if the meat
product, always use nonchlorinated or distilled surface gets too hot, too quickly it will deter the
water to prevent the chlorine from killing the live smoke from attaching to it because the surface
cultures. Don’t scrimp on using such a culture. has dried too fast. To successfully smoke your
While it is not needed in great amounts, you still pork, and to get a satisfying result, the surface
must use enough, even if you overdo it, to ensure needs to be slightly moist so that it can attract
that a sufficient amount of live culture gets into the smoke particles. Smoke will not adhere to dry
the sausage. This product is completely safe, and surfaces, although it will blacken it in color. You
adding too much will not be harmful to you. will need to dry the surface enough to remove
excess moisture while still leaving enough
Smoking moisture to absorb the smoke.
Smoking pork, or any meat, accomplishes
three objectives: Wood Types
for Smoking
• It gives the meat a unique flavor, Different woods will create subtle, but different,
depending on the type of wood used. flavors, depending on which you use. Natural
wood smoke is generally produced from
• It helps to lower the moisture content hardwood sawdust, wood chips, or small logs.
within the meat, which reduces the You can use a variety of different hardwoods
chance for bacterial growth. for smoking. The most popular is hickory,
although other hardwoods, such as oak, maple,
• It adds color to the surface of the pork cut. ash, mesquite, cherry, apple, and other fruit
woods, can be used.
Three factors affect the amount of time the Selecting the type of wood to use for smoking
meat needs to be cured: the density of the meat pork is more a matter of personal choice than
cut, such as whether it is a thick ham or small anything. One standard rule applies, however:
sausage patty; the amount of smoke generated the best woods for smoking are dried (cured)
within the smoking unit; and the ability of the hardwoods with a low sap flow. Avoid using pine
meat surface to absorb smoke. or other coniferous trees because of their high
The density of the pork cut you want to smoke tar content, which will create a bitter flavor on
will affect the time required to adequately the meat.
172 Chapter 9
bacteria present will be in insufficient quantities temperature smokers, electric smokers, stovetop
to become harmful. This is the main reason to smokers, covered grills, and charcoal-fired
keep fresh meat chilled between the times you smokers. Understanding their advantages and
butcher and cut up the carcass and when limitations may help you decide which is best for
you process or package it. you. The following are just brief descriptions of
The amount of salt you use is also a a few types of smokers, but you should research
consideration. Too little salt used in the curing all the models that are commercially available to
process can allow those bacteria that are able determine which one will work best for you. Their
to grow in the presence of salt to get an upper prices range from modest to expensive, and this
hand by not being adequately checked. From may give some indication of their durability.
this, spoilage can follow. On the other hand, if Some are stationary, while others may be set
too much salt is used, the meat can become hard, on rollers for easier movement. They may be
dry, and taste overly salty. rectangular or round, and the number of racks
Large portions of pork, such as hams and may increase with larger units. Several types of
shoulders, generally will take a longer curing digitally controlled smoker models are available
time than smaller pieces. It takes more time and are popular because they allow you to easily
to allow the salts or brine to reach sufficient monitor the temperature and time.
concentration in the tissues to protect the One concern about smokers, depending on the
centers of these larger cuts. This likely will mean model used, is the potential loss of heat caused
that you will need a storage space dedicated to by opening a door to add water to a pan or to
this purpose, as well as one free from insects, replenish wood chips, pellets, or logs. Models are
pets, and children while the curing processes available that have external wood chip or pellet
work their way to their intended conclusion. loaders so the unit doesn’t need to be opened.
Some smokers have a tray that can be pulled
Smoking Units out, have fresh chips or pellets added to it, and
You can use a variety of smoking units. They can be pushed back into the unit without opening
range from home grills with covers to substantial the door. This is an outdoor model not meant for
upright units that sit in your backyard. They indoor use.
can be electric or fully powered by wood. Or, Vertical electric water smokers are popular
you can construct a smokehouse for your own because they are generally the least expensive
use. The amount of meat and the size of the smokers on the market. The less costly models
cuts will largely determine the type of smoking may not reach the high temperatures you need.
unit needed. Also your budget and the space The more expensive models, however, have
available for a unit may be considerations. better temperature control. These units have
You can use traditional smoking units, such either a gas or electric heat source and typically
as smokehouses or metal chambers specifically have three components: a bottom heat source,
designed for smoking meats, that accomplish a water pan that stores heat and regulates the
two things at once. They provide a proper internal temperature, and a smoking chamber.
temperature to kill harmful pathogens, and they The biggest disadvantage is the loss of heat when
produce a pleasing smoky flavor. the lid is opened. You can mitigate this by having
Units made for home use include vertical a thermometer that can signal the temperature
electric water smokers, insulated variable- to an outside receiver.
174 Chapter 9
An insulated variable-temperature smoker limiting the amount of pork or sausages they can
has good temperature control. This variety is hold at one time.
becoming more popular with those who want A covered grill and charcoal-fired smokers
to do home smoking. They are typically more can be used to smoke pork, although it is more
expensive than other models but are easy to use difficult to maintain an even temperature and
and generally conform to the same dynamics as smoke with them than with enclosed units. You
a vertical electric water smoker. will need to monitor the internal temperature
Electric smokers are another popular type and add wood chips or charcoal briquettes to
because they are easy to use and don’t take maintain a proper temperature.
up a lot of space. The more expensive models
typically have a rheostat that turns down the Thermometers
electricity flow to the coil, much like that found You will need two types of thermometers to
on an electric stove or hot plate, and they may make sure the pork is smoked safely: one for the
have multiple settings ranging from low to high. meat and one for the smoker. A thermometer is
Some of the more expensive electric smokers needed to monitor the air temperature in the
have thermostats that have a temperature probe smoker or grill to be sure the heat stays between
inside the cooking chamber. The thermostat 225ºF and 300ºF throughout the cooking
monitors the temperature and will raise it if it’s process. Many of the new model smokers have
too low or lower it if it’s too high. This makes a built-in thermometers to help.
unit with a thermostat better than one with a Using a food thermometer to determine the
rheostat, but also makes the unit more expensive. meat temperature is a good practice. Oven-safe
One drawback to this type of unit is that it doesn’t thermometers can be inserted in the pork and
work well outdoors in cold weather. remain there during smoking. Once the meat is
Stovetop smokers have become available in removed from the smoker, you can use an instant-
recent years and may solve space concerns, but read thermometer to check the temperature.
they cannot be used for very large pieces of pork. Again, the cooking time will depend on several
They will work well for sausages or other smaller factors, including the size of the pieces, their
size pieces that may be left over from processing shape, the distance they are from the heat, the
the carcass. Stovetop smokers are stainless-steel temperature of the coals, and the weather.
units with an enclosed system that uses your
stove’s burners for heat to activate the flavored Smokehouses
wood chips that are sprinkled across the inside If you are considering an annual butchering
bottom of the pan. The sausages are placed on schedule, you may want to consider constructing
a grill rack that is set above the base. The cover a stationary smokehouse for long-term use.
tightly seals in the heat and smoke. While these are more elaborate structures than
Stovetop smokers work well in apartments or the smoking units previously discussed, they will
places where other smoking units can’t be used. accommodate larger quantities of meats at one
They are inexpensive, easy to use and clean, and time and will last for many years. They have the
will work with other meats as well. One drawback advantage of making temperature control easier,
is their size. Most of these models range between and their tight construction and well-fitted
7 and 11 inches wide and 11 and 15 inches long, ventilators can control airflow past the meat.
Smoking and Curing pork 175
in a larval stage in the voluntary muscles of hold the internal organs intact and protect them
humans and hogs. An infection occurs after the from outside injury. You will have trimmed the
pig ingests the parasites. They burrow into the belly into rectangular or square shapes before
muscles and can cause muscle pain, fever, and slicing into strips. Although you may smoke
other physical effects. and heat the bacon, it must be cooked before it
Not all pork will be infected by these parasites, is eaten.
whether you purchase your pork at a market Hams are popular for smoking either
or raise the animal yourself. Because these boneless or with the bone intact. A ham that
parasites are too small to be seen without using has the center bone removed will take less time
a microscope, you need to be cautious and take to heat and smoke than one in which the leg
several steps to eliminate any potential problems. bone is still intact. It will take the heat longer to
First, cook all fresh pork to a minimum internal penetrate completely through to the bone and
temperature of 145ºF and allow for a 3-minute reach the critical 145ºF internal temperature
rest. During this rest time, its temperature remains next to the bone. If smoking a ham, it is best
constant or continues to rise, ensuring the to remove the skin and fat as the smoke will
destruction of any harmful germs. The internal not penetrate into the meat if it is still on. Then
tissue does not stop cooking at the exact moment when this outer layer of skin and fat is removed,
you remove the meat from the heat source. The all smoke flavor will be removed too.
internal heat will continue to penetrate into the Pork shoulders can be smoked, and as the
tissue until the heat source is removed. Once it is name applies, they are located in the front part
removed, there is no longer a heat penetration of the carcass. These will be large cuts and, like
into the tissue, and the internal temperature will hams, will take longer to smoke and heat unless
start to drop after about 3 minutes. they are cut into smaller pieces.
Ribs, jowls, and loins are smaller cuts that can
Which Parts to Smoke be smoked and will take less time to finish. The
Almost every part of the pig carcass can be term Canadian bacon involves round slices of
smoked. Some cuts are larger than others and pink meat from the loin.
will take more time to complete the smoking Try to cook pieces that are similar in size, as
process, but all can be used. Bacon, hams, and this will allow you to cook them at a specific
shoulders are the cuts most often smoked. Jowls, temperature for an equal time and have a
ribs, and loins can be smoked too. Sausages can uniform result. Unevenly matched pieces may
be smoked, and these are covered elsewhere in become overdone and too dry, or undercooked
this book. and unsafe.
Bacon comes from the belly section of the
carcass. If meat from other portions of the carcass Smoking
is used, it may carry the name of where it came Considerations
from, such as pork shoulder bacon. Pork bacon The length of time that the smoke fills the
must be cooked before eating. Most bacon made chamber will largely determine the amount
from your pig carcass will be streaky bacon—the of smoke deposits on the surface of the meat.
long narrow slices cut crosswise from the belly Variations in smoke density will also affect
that contain veins of pink muscle layered within how much the smoke components adhere to
the white fat. These muscles and surrounding fat the surface.
Smoking and Curing pork 177
As a general rule, high smoking temperatures the temperature too quickly or it will dry and
(110ºF and above) with a light smoke will speed overcook the surface before the required internal
up the drying while lower temperatures (80ºF temperature is reached. By increasing the
to 110ºF) with a dense smoke will intensify the temperature in increments, you will be able to
smoky flavor in the meat. conduct the heat through the meat to minimize
Once the smoke cycle is completed, you the difference between the surface and internal
can gradually increase the temperature inside temperature. A long, slow cook will tenderize the
the chamber to cook the meat. Don’t increase meat to maximum effect.
Smoked Maple
Bacon
¼ cup salt Thoroughly mix salt, cure, and brown sugar in
a nonmetallic container. Add the maple syrup
2 teaspoons cure
and mix thoroughly. Rub the mixture over the
¼ cup dark brown sugar entire surface of the pork belly. Place skin-side
down in large container so the belly lies flat.
¼ cup maple syrup
Refrigerate for 7 days, turning it over every day,
1–5 pounds slab pork belly, until the meat is firm to touch. Once firm, remove
skin on from brine, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry. Place
on a rack set over a baking pan and dry in the
refrigerator, uncovered, for 12 to 24 hours. Hot-
smoke to an internal temperature of 160ºF for
3 hours. Let cool until skin can be removed from
fat, leaving as much fat on bacon as possible.
(The skin can be used for cracklings or stock.) Let
the bacon cool. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate or
freeze until ready to use.
178 Chapter 9
Canadian Bacon
1 gallon water In a pot large enough to hold the pork loin,
combine the water, salt, sugar, cure, sage,
1½ cups salt
thyme, and garlic, and bring to a simmer to
1 cup sugar dissolve the sugar and salt. Remove from
heat and let cool to room temperature,
8 teaspoons cure
then refrigerate until chilled. Place the pork
3 cups chopped fresh sage loin in brine and place a weight on top to
completely submerge the meat. Refrigerate
3 cups chopped fresh thyme
for 48 hours. Remove the loin from the brine
2 garlic cloves, and discard the brine (do not reuse). Rinse
peeled and crushed the loin with cold water and pat dry. Place
the loin on a rack over a baking tray and
4 pounds boneless pork loin,
refrigerate for 24 hours. Hot-smoke the pork
fat removed
to an internal temperature of 160ºF for 2 to
3 hours, depending on taste. Then cover and
refrigerate for up to 10 days.
Smoking and Curing pork 179
Chapter 10
MORE
PORK
RECIPES
TIMETABLE FOR COOKING HAM
Weight Minutes Minimum Internal Temperature
Cut in pounds per pound & Rest Time
Smoked ham, cook before eating
Whole, bone-in 10–14 18–20 145ºF and allow to rest
for 3 minutes
Half, bone-in 5–7 22–25 “
Shank or butt portion, 3–4 35–40 “
bone-in
Arm picnic shoulder, 5–8 30–35 “
boneless
Shoulder roll (butt), 2–4 35–40 “
boneless
Smoked ham, cooked
Whole, bone-in 10–14 15–18 Reheat cooked hams packaged in
USDA-inspected plants to 140ºF
and all others to 165ºF.
Half, bone-in 5–7 18–24
Arm picnic shoulder, 5–8 25–30
boneless
Canned ham, boneless 3–10 15–20
Vacuum packed, boneless 6–12 10–15
Spiral cut, whole or half 7–9 10–18
Fresh Ham, uncooked
Whole leg, bone-in 12–16 22–26 145ºF, and allow to rest
for 3 minutes
Whole leg, boneless 10–14 22–26
Half, bone-in 5–8 35–40
Country Ham
Whole or half: Soak 4 to 12 hours in refrigerator. Cover with water and boil 20 to
25 minutes per pound. Drain, glaze, and brown at 400ºF for 15 minutes.
181
186 Chapter 10
Baked Ham
10- to 14-pound Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the ham, fat side
smoked or fresh ham up, on a rack in an open roasting pan. Insert a meat
thermometer so the point reaches the center of
Glaze, optional
the thickest part. Be careful it doesn’t rest in fat or
on the bone. Do not add water. Do not cover. Roast
until the meat thermometer registers 160ºF. Allow
18 to 20 minutes per pound for roasting. About 20 to
30 minutes before the ham has finished baking,
spread with a glaze, if desired, and return to oven
to set the glaze.
Ham Baked
in Milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard Preheat the oven to 300°F. Mix the mustard
and brown sugar in a small bowl and
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
spread over the ham. Place in a small
1 slice of ham, 2 inches thick casserole dish. Add enough milk to barely
cover the ham. Bake for 1 hour.
Milk
more pork reCipeS 187
Spiced
Ham Loaf
1 cup bread crumbs 1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ cup milk ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups ground cured ham 1 egg
½ pound ground fresh pork
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, soften the bread crumbs in milk. In a
large bowl, combine the ham, pork, brown sugar, cloves, bread crumbs and milk,
and egg. Mix and pack into loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes.
Pork Spareribs
and Sauerkraut
1 quart sauerkraut Salt and pepper
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar ½ cup water
4 pounds pork spareribs
Place the sauerkraut in a greased baking dish and sprinkle evenly with brown
sugar. Brown the spareribs under a broiler, sprinkle with salt and pepper to
taste, and place on the sauerkraut. Add water, cover tightly, and bake at 350ºF
for 1½ hours.
188 Chapter 10
Smoked
Pork Butt
and Apples
2- to 3-pound smoked 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
pork shoulder butt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3½ cups plus 2 tablespoons
2 teaspoons lemon juice
nonchlorinated water, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups dried apples
In a large pot, add 3½ cups water to shoulder butt. Cover tightly and simmer,
allowing 30 to 40 minutes per pound. Turn once during cooking. About
40 minutes before the meat is done, add the apples. When the meat and apples
are done, remove the meat. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice to the
apples. Mix 2 tablespoons of water with cornstarch in a small bowl, then add to
apples and continue cooking until thickened. Serve with meat.
more pork reCipeS 189
Pork Hocks
with
Dried Apples
2½ cups dried kidney beans ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 quart nonchlorinated water 1 tablespoon chopped onion
3 pounds pork hocks 2 cups dried apples
1 tablespoon salt
Soak kidney beans overnight in 1 quart of water. Measure the water not
absorbed by the kidney beans and add enough water to make 3½ cups. Brown
the pork hocks on all sides in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season
with salt and pepper to taste. Add the kidney beans, 3½ cups water, onion,
1 tablespoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cover tightly and simmer
1 hour. Add apples and continue to simmer 45 minutes, or until done.
190 Chapter 10
Chinese Pork
Shoulder Steaks
1 beef bouillon cube ¼ cup honey
1
⁄3 cup hot water ¼ cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger 4 pork arm or blade steaks,
½- to ¾-inch thick
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Dissolve bouillon cube in hot water. Combine ginger, salt, sugar, honey, and soy
sauce in a large container. Marinate the steaks in the soy sauce mixture in the
refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight, turning them occasionally. Remove the steaks
from marinade and place on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast at 350ºF for 1 hour.
Citrus
Pork Tenderloin
¼ cup flour 1½ pounds pork tenderloin,
cut into 8 patties
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons lard
1
⁄8 teaspoon ground black pepper
11 ounces canned mandarin oranges
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish.
Roll the tenderloin patties in seasoned flour until completely coated. Melt the
lard in a skillet over medium heat, and then add the pork. Brown in lard and then
pour off the drippings. Drain the mandarin oranges, reserving the liquid. Add
liquid to tenderloin. Cover tightly and bake for 45 minutes. Top with mandarin
slices before serving.
more pork reCipeS 191
Pork
Roll-Ups
2 cups ground, cooked pork For the pastry dough:
¼ cup grated carrot 2 cups sifted white flour
1 tablespoon minced green pepper ¾ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated onion 2
⁄3 cup shortening
1 tablespoon salt 5 tablespoons nonchlorinated water
2 teaspoons soy sauce
¼ cup milk
Grease a large baking pan. Combine ground pork, carrot, green pepper, onion,
salt, soy sauce, and milk. Mix thoroughly.
For the pastry dough, mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl and blend
in the shortening with a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers. Add water until
mixture holds together.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll out the pastry into a large 12 × 17 rectangle.
Spread the pork mixture on pastry and roll up like a jelly roll. Cut into 12 rolls,
1-inch thick. Place the rolls in the greased baking pan and bake for 25 minutes,
or until the pastry is lightly browned. Serve with a vegetable of your choice.
192 Chapter 10
Mandarin Pork
Spareribs
2 to 3 pounds pork spareribs 1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup soy sauce ½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup orange marmalade 1
⁄8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Saw the spareribs across rib bones so individual servings may be carved
easily. In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, marmalade, garlic, ginger, and
pepper. Add the spareribs and marinate in the soy sauce mixture for 12 hours
in the refrigerator, turning occasionally. When ready to bake, preheat the
oven to 350°F. Place the ribs, rib ends down, on a rack in a baking pan. Cover
tightly and bake for 1 hour. Remove the cover, turn the spareribs, and add
half of the marinade. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the spareribs again and add
the remaining marinade. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the ribs
are browned.
more pork reCipeS 193
Celery Pork Chops
1 tablespoon lard 1
⁄8 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 pork ribs or loin chops, ¾ cup chopped celery
¾ to 1 inch thick
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
Melt the lard in a skillet over medium heat and add the pork. Brown in the lard,
then pour off the drippings. Sprinkle salt and pepper over chops to taste. Add
the celery and onion to the skillet, cover tightly, and simmer for 45 minutes.
Cut a pocket on the bone side of each chop. In a large bowl, blend corn,
bread crumbs, salt, pepper, parsley, sage, onion, apple, egg, and milk together
thoroughly. Stuff each chop with one-sixth of the mixture. Preheat the oven
to 350°F. In an ovenproof skillet or pan, brown the chops in lard over medium
heat. Pour off the drippings. Add ¼ cup water to the pan and bake, uncovered,
for 1 hour.
194 Chapter 10
Pork Pie
2 pounds pork shoulder butt For the pastry dough:
2 cups lard 2 cups sifted white flour
2¼ cups boiling water ¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon salt 2
⁄3 cup shortening
1 bay leaf 5 tablespoons nonchlorinated water
½ cup flour
2 cups cooked carrots
6 small cooked onions, sliced
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Cut the pork into 1-inch cubes. Melt the lard in a
dutch oven over medium heat, then add the pork and cook until browned.
Add the water, salt, and bay leaf. Cover and bake until the meat is tender, about
1 hour. Drain drippings into a bowl and mix in flour to make a smooth paste; add
cold water if needed. Add the paste back to the meat, along with the carrots and
onions. Pour into a baking dish. Increase the oven heat to 450°F.
For pastry dough, mix flour and salt together in a large bowl and blend in
shortening with a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers. Add water until mixture
holds together. Roll out into a shape that will cover the top of a baking dish.
Cover the meat in the baking dish with the pastry and bake for 20 minutes, or
until the pastry is browned.
more pork reCipeS 195
Roast Boston-Style
Butt
1 4-pound Boston pork butt 10 whole cloves
½ cup light brown sugar
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the meat fat-side up on a rack in an open
roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast uncovered for
40 minutes per pound, or about 3 hours. Insert a meat thermometer into the
thickest part, without touching bone. It should register 185ºF when completely
cooked. Thirty minutes before removing from the oven, sprinkle with brown
sugar and stick with cloves.
Filled Cabbage
¾ cup rice 1 onion, diced
1 large cabbage (use only outside 1 teaspoon salt
leaves; save center for salads)
⁄8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1
Soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain and discard water. Place the
soaked rice in a large saucepan with 2½ cups fresh water. Bring to a boil, cover
tightly, turn heat to low, and cook for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a pot of water to boil. Blanch the cabbage leaves
in the hot water for 3 minutes, then drain. Mix the pork, onion, salt, and pepper
into the rice in the saucepan. Divide into as many servings as you’d like to have
and roll each serving inside a cabbage leaf. Line a nonmetallic pan with extra
cabbage leaves. Add tomatoes and cabbage bundles. Bake uncovered for 3 hours.
196 Chapter 10
Dinner-in-a-Dish
½ pound fresh pork steak ½ green pepper, cut fine
½ pound veal ½ small can pimiento, cut small
¼ pound shell noodles 1 can (14 ounces) mushrooms
1 can (14 ounces) regular 1 can (14 ounces) whole-kernel corn
chicken soup
1 cup buttered cracker crumbs
¾ pound cheddar cheese, cut fine
Cut pork and veal into 1-inch cubes. In a skillet heated with a little oil, brown
the meat and cook until tender. Cook the noodles in a large saucepan according
to package directions, drain, and add the meat. Add the soup and simmer for
5 minutes. Add the cheese, pepper, pimiento, and mushrooms with their juice.
Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the corn, stir lightly, and season to taste. Preheat the
oven to 350°F. Place in a casserole dish and cover with buttered cracker crumbs.
Bake until topping is browned.
Pork Milanese
2 large eggs 2 pounds pork steak, cut ¼-inch thick
1 cup Swiss cheese 4 tablespoons butter
2 cups fine bread crumbs
Beat eggs slightly in a shallow bowl. Grate the cheese into a separate shallow
bowl and mix with bread crumbs. Dip each serving of meat into the beaten
eggs, and then in bread crumbs and Swiss cheese mixture. Melt butter in a
skillet and fry the pork in the melted butter. Turn only once.
more pork reCipeS 197
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a skillet heated with a little oil, brown the pork
chops lightly. Arrange raw slices of potatoes in greased casserole dish. Season
with salt and pepper to taste. Place pork chops on top and season to taste.
Mix the mushroom soup with milk thoroughly and pour it over the chops and
potatoes. Bake for 2 hours.
Pork Sausage
Stuffing
¾ loaf white bread ½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups boiling water 1 teaspoon dried sage
¾ pound pork sausage 2 large eggs, beaten
⁄3 cup onions, chopped
1
Toast the bread, cut it into pieces, and add the pieces to a large bowl with the
boiling water. Fry the pork sausage in a large skillet until brown. Add the onions
and cook until soft. Drain the grease. Add the onions and meat to the bread,
along with the salt and sage. When cool, add the well-beaten eggs. Return to the
skillet and heat until the eggs are thoroughly cooked. Serve while hot.
198 Chapter 10
Saucy
Pork ’n Noodle Bake
1 cup cooked pork, cubed 1 can (8 ounces) whole-kernel corn,
undrained
1 tablespoon lard
1 tablespoon sliced pimiento
½ cup narrow noodles, uncooked
½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 can (10½ ounces)
cream of chicken soup ¼ cup finely diced green pepper
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Brown the meat in melted lard in a skillet. When
meat is well browned, drain the excess fat from skillet. Add noodles, chicken
soup, corn, pimiento, cheese, and green pepper and mix well. Pour into 1-quart
casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Speedy Bacon
and Beans
2 strips bacon, diced ½ teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
1 small onion, minced 2 tablespoons chili sauce
1 can (16 ounces) baked beans
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Sauté the bacon and onion until bacon is crisp and
onion is yellow. Stir in the beans, mustard, and chili sauce. Pour into a greased
1-quart baking dish. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, until the beans are brown
and bubbling. (For variety, you can add 1 cup baked ham or slices of hot broiled
or fried Canadian bacon.)
200
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Glossary
Aging: the time process involved that causes Creep feed: a feed given to young pigs from
a maturing or ripening of meat enzymes that 1 week of age to weaning.
increase flavor and has a tenderizing effect. Crossbred: a pig whose parents are of different
Aitchbone: the rump bone. swine breeds.
Anterior to: toward the front of the carcass, or Cubed: cutting up meat into small square pieces.
forward of. Cure: any process to preserve meats by salting or
Aspic: a jelly made from concentrated vegetable, smoking, which may be aided with preservative
meat, or fish stock, with gelatin. substances such as sodium nitrite.
Bake: to cook by dry heat in oven. Dam: female parent.
Barbecue: to roast meat on a grill, spit, over Dorsal to: toward the back of the carcass, upper
coals, or under a free flame or oven electric unit, or top line.
usually basting with a highly seasoned sauce. Dressing percentage: the proportion of the live
Barrow: a castrated male pig. weight that remains in the carcass of an animal,
sometimes referred to as yield. It is calculated
Baste: to moisten meat while cooking to add
as: carcass weight ÷ live weight × 100 =
flavor and to prevent drying of the surface.
dressing percentage.
Boar: adult male pig kept for breeding purposes.
Drippings: fat and juice from meat that collects
Boil: to heat to boiling point, or heat so as to in bottom of roasting pan.
cause bubbles to break on surface.
Epimysium: the sheath of connective tissue
Bone-in cuts: meat cuts that contain parts of surrounding a muscle.
the bone.
Fabrication: the deconstruction of the whole
Braise: a method of cooking meat in a small carcass into smaller, more easily used cuts.
amount of liquid for tenderness and flavor.
Farrow: to give birth.
Breed: a group of animals with common
Feed efficiency: the number of pounds of
ancestors and physical characteristics.
feed required by an animal to gain 1 pound in
Broil: to cook directly under heating unit. body weight.
Bulky feed: a feed that is usually high in fiber Feeder pig: a young pig that has been weaned
and lower in energy. and is now ready to feed out, usually between 25
Butterfly: to split steaks, chops, and roasts in and 40 pounds.
half, leaving halves hinged on one side. Feeder pig sale: an auction where feeder pigs
Carcass weight: the weight of the carcass are sorted into uniform groups by weight and
after all the butchering procedures have grade and then sold for public sale.
been completed. Fillet: to slice meat from bones or other cuts.
Collagen: a fibrous protein found in connective Finish: feeding a pig to market weight.
tissue, bone, and cartilage.
201
Forequarter: the anterior portion of a carcass, Length of hog: a measurement taken on the
including several ribs. carcass or estimated on the live hog. It is
the distance from the front edge of the first rib
Free choice: providing pigs with grain and a
to the front end of the aitchbone.
protein supplement in a self-feeder and letting
them eat as they choose. Litter: offspring produced at one farrowing.
Freezer burn: discoloration of meat due to loss of Live weight: the weight of the live animal at the
moisture and oxidation in freezer-stored meats. time of purchase or the time of harvest.
Fry: to cook in hot fat. Loineye area: the number of square inches in a
cross-section of loineye muscle. This is taken by
Full feed: giving a pig all it will eat.
cutting the loin between the tenth and eleventh
Gambrel: a frame shaped like a horse’s hind leg, ribs and measuring the cut surface area of
used by butchers for hanging carcasses. the muscle.
Gilt: a young female pig that has never farrowed Marbling: fine streaks of white fat interspersed
or given birth to little piglets. throughout the lean muscle of high-quality pork,
Glaze: to add luster to a food by coating with a beef, and lamb.
syrup or jelly. Marinade: an oil-acid mixture used to give flavor
Grill: to cook food directly over an open fire or and sometimes to tenderize meats.
flaming coals. Marinate: to let food stand in oil-acid mixture for
Grind: to cut or crush in a food grinder. added flavor and sometimes tenderness.
Hindquarter: the posterior portion of the carcass Mince: to chop or cut into very small pieces.
that remains after the removal of the last rib. Muscle pH: the acidity or alkaline level in the
Hog: a generic term that can be applied to a muscle. It generally declines after harvest, and
growing or mature pig. the rate of decline is an important factor affecting
meat quality.
Intoxication: when microbes produce a toxin
that is subsequently eaten and sickness results Palatable: a feed that tastes good to the pig and
in humans. is easily digestible.
Petcock: a small faucet or valve for releasing gas Shoat, shote: a pig of either sex after weaning,
or air for draining. usually weighs less than 100 pounds.
Piglet: a newborn pig of either sex about 2 to Shrinkage: the weight loss that may occur
3 pounds and usually less than 8 weeks old. throughout the processing sequence. It may
happen due to moisture or tissue loss from both
Porcine stress syndrome (PSS): a term that
the fresh and the processed product.
covers a group of conditions associated with a
recessive gene in pigs that causes acute stress Side: one matched forequarter and hindquarter,
and sudden death. or one-half of a meat animal carcass.
Posterior to: toward the rear of the Silverskin: the thin, white, opaque layer of
carcass; behind. connective tissue found on certain cuts of meats,
usually inedible.
Primal or wholesale cuts: the large subdivisions
of the carcass that are traded in volume by Simmer: to cook in liquid just below boiling
segments of the meat industry. point on top of range.
Purebred: both sire and dam are from the Sire: male parent.
same breed. Sow: female pig over 1 year of age that has
Rations: the diets formulated for pigs. farrowed a litter of pigs; rhymes with cow.
Render: to melt down the fat. Stew: to cook slowly, covered by liquid, for a
long time.
Retail cuts: the subdivisions of wholesale cuts or
carcasses that are sold to consumers in ready-to- Stock: the liquid in which meat has been cooked.
cook or ready-to-eat forms. Subprimal cuts: the subdivisions of the
Rigor mortis: the progressive stiffening of wholesale or primal cuts that are made to
muscles that occurs several hours after death as a make handling easier and reduce the variability
result of the coagulation of the muscle proteins. within a single cut.
Roast: to cook, usually meats, by dry heat. Usually Wean: to remove piglets from their mother; to
in oven, sometimes over open flame. take off milk.
Runt: a small, undersized, or weak pig in the litter. Yield: the portion of the original weight that
remains following any processing or handling
Salt pork: pork cured in salt, especially fatty pork
procedure in the meat-selling sequence. It is
from the back, side, or belly of a pig.
usually quoted in percentages and may be cited
Sauté: to brown or cook in small amount of fat as shrinkage.
in skillet.
Sear: to brown surface quickly.
yudhacookbook.com
203
Metric Equivalents
and Conversions
Conversions between US and metric measurements Approximate Metric Equivalents by Weight
will be somewhat inexact. It’s important to convert
US Metric
the measurements for all of the ingredients in
a recipe to maintain the same proportions as 0.035 ounce 1 gram
the original. ¼ ounce 7 grams
½ ounce 14 grams
General Formula for Metric Conversion
1 ounce 28 grams
Ounces to grams multiply ounces by 28.35 16 ounces (1 pound) 454 grams
Grams to ounces multiply grams by 0.035 1.1 pounds 500 grams
Pounds to grams multiply pounds by 453.5 2.2 pounds 1 kilogram
Pounds to kilograms multiply pounds by 0.45
Cups to liters multiply cups by 0.24 US Metric
Fahrenheit to Celsius subtract 32 from 1 gram 0.035 ounce
Fahrenheit temperature, 50 grams 1.75 ounces
multiply by 5, then
divide by 9 100 grams 3.5 ounces
Celsius to Fahrenheit multiply Celsius 500 grams 1.1 pounds
temperature by 9, divide 1 kilogram (1000 g) 2.2 pounds
by 2, then add 32
Weight Conversion of Common Ingredients
Approximate Metric Equivalents by Volume
1 pound salt = 1½ cups
US Metric 1 ounce salt = 2 tablespoons
1 pound sugar = 2¼ cups
1 teaspoon 5 milliliters 1 ounce cure = 1½ tablespoons
1 tablespoon 15 milliliters
¼ cup 60 milliliters Conversion from Ounces to Tablespoons
¼ ounce = 1¼ tablespoons
½ cup 120 milliliters ½ ounce = 2½ tablespoons
1 cup 230 milliliters ¾ ounce = 3¾ tablespoons
1 ounce = 5 tablespoons
1½ cups 360 milliliters 2 ounces = 10 tablespoons
2 cups 460 milliliters 3 ounces = 15 tablespoons
4 ounces = 20 tablespoons
4 cups (1 quart) 0.95 liters
1.06 quarts 1 liter Equivalent Measures and Weights
4 quarts (1 gallon) 3.8 liters 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
4 tablespoons = ¼ cup
16 tablespoons = 1 cup
2 cups = 1 pint
4 cups = 1 quart
2 pints = 1 quart
4 quarts = 1 gallon
16 ounces = 1 pound
204
yudhacookbook.com
acknowledgments
I wish to acknowledge the support of my family: my wife, Mary, who has always been a good sounding
board; Marcus, our son, whose photos appear here in his seventh book for Voyageur Press; and Julia,
our daughter, who is always a bright spot in her father’s life.
To Dr. Jeff Sindelar and Ronald Russell of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, who gave of their
time and advice during photo-taking sessions.
To the Straka family of Plain, Wisconsin, for their assistance and patience while we acquired photos
for illustrative purposes. For sixty-three years their family has served our local area, and I feel privileged
to call them friends.
To Tony and Sue Renger of Willow Creek Farm, for allowing access to their pig operation for photos.
Their attention to detail and providing quality pork products is an asset to our community.
To my good friends Jim Ruen and Wendy Wellnitz, for their support and understanding of what it
takes to complete a useful book.
I also wish to thank my editor, Todd Berger, for all of his assistance in helping bring this book to a
wide audience. Also, a thank-you to Caitlin Fultz for her attention to the manuscript and helping to
strengthen it.